According to Halifax, tens of thousands of revellers preparing to pitch their
tents this festival season could be left out of pocket.

Festival-goers will be far more interested in band line-ups and which to see than wondering about insurance. But before packing their wellies and their throwaway tents, they might want to check if they are covered for their precious iPhones, sunglasses and cameras.

According to Halifax, tens of thousands of revellers preparing to pitch their tents this festival season could be left out of pocket as four out of 10 may be forced to stump up to replace missing belongings.

New research commissioned by Halifax Home Insurance has revealed that almost a quarter of us don't know if we are covered for our valuable possessions outside the home.

Meanwhile, 15pc of those questioned admitted they had no insurance for personal belongings including iPhones, digital cameras and designer sunglasses – which came top of a poll of items most commonly lost or stolen at a festival.

With more than a quarter of adults, and almost half of teenagers, owning a smartphone, Halifax is urging music-lovers descending upon the fields this summer to make sure their phones are protected – as well as digital downloads.

You may think that your downloads will be covered as part of your home insurance, but that might not be the case. Only a handful of the most popular insurers include digital downloads in their standard policies.

Check the small print for the amount of cover you have, and that it is an appropriate value for your collection as it estimated that more than 40pc of downloads are not insured.

Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance, said: "If there is a possibility that any of your possessions may be unattended for even a small period of time, then checking your policy or extending your contents as necessary before you go is a small measure which could save a lot of money should anything go wrong."